wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > HB 2124 > Substitute Bill
(1) The department shall establish and implement policies in the working connections child care program to promote stability and quality of care for children from low-income households. These policies shall focus on supporting school readiness for young learners. Policies for the expenditure of funds constituting the working connections child care program must be consistent with the outcome measures established by the department and the standards established in this section intended to promote stability, quality, and continuity of early care and education programming.
Beginning October 1, 2023, a family is eligible for working connections child care when the household's annual income is at or below 85 percent of the state median income adjusted for family size and:
The child receiving care is: (i) Less than 13 years of age; or (ii) less than 19 years of age and has a verified special need according to department rule or is under court supervision;
The applicant or consumer is employed , as verified in the agency's electronic workforce registry, in a:
Licensed or certified child care center or family home provider;
Early childhood education and assistance program or birth to three early childhood education and assistance program; or
Head start or early head start program or a successor federal program; and
The household meets all other program eligibility requirements.
The department must waive the copayment to the extent allowable under federal law; otherwise, a maximum of $15 for any applicant or consumer that meets the requirements under this section.
Rates paid under RCW 43.216.592 must be adjusted every two years according to an inflationary increase. The inflationary increase must be calculated by applying the rate of the increase in the inflationary adjustment index to the rates established pursuant to RCW 43.216.592.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, rates paid under RCW 43.216.579, 43.216.585, and 43.216.578 must be adjusted every two years according to an inflationary increase. The inflationary increase must be calculated by applying the rate of the increase in the inflationary adjustment index to the rates established pursuant to RCW 43.216.579, 43.216.585, and 43.216.578.
Inflationary increases under subsection (1) of this section and any funded inflationary increase under subsection (2) of this section must be included in the rate used to determine inflationary increases in subsequent years.
For the purposes of this section, "inflationary adjustment index" means the implicit price deflator averaged for each fiscal year, using the official current base rate, compiled by the bureau of economic analysis, United States department of commerce.
This act takes effect November 1, 2024.